Treadmill with safety monitoring function and safety monitoring method for treadmill

ABSTRACT

A treadmill with a safety monitoring function includes a running unit and a detection unit. The running unit includes a driving roller and a running belt for a runner to stand and run thereon. The detection unit includes a sensor for detecting whether the runner exists at a predefined height on the running belt. The detection unit can be moved to change the predefined height. A safety monitoring function for a treadmill includes adjusting a height of the sensor, detecting whether the runner exists at the predefined height above the running belt, and generating a first monitoring output. Through detecting whether the runner exists at the predefined height, it determines whether the driving roller can be driven by the driving unit to prevent accidental activation by a child. Since the detection unit can be moved to change the predefined height, it allows the use by runners of different body shapes.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Technical Field

The present invention is related to an exercise equipment, and inparticular, to a treadmill with a safety monitoring function and asafety monitoring method for a treadmill.

2. Description of Related Art

As people value heath more seriously nowadays, a lot of people install atreadmill at their own homes, such that they are able to use thetreadmill to perform exercise at home regardless of the outdoor weathercondition.

However, in comparison to gym, the home environment is relatively morecomplicated to ensure safe operation of the equipment. For example, inthe event that a child at home activates the treadmill without adultsupervision or the treadmill is accidentally activated, injury may occurunder such situation.

Presently, although there are known treadmills equipped with an infraredsensor arranged to perform rearward detection (such as: CN210096787U),in order to detect the running position of a runner via the infraredsensor and generate a warning sound when the runner exceeds the saferunning range to reduce accidental falling incident of runners, they arestill unable to prevent the aforementioned situation of accidentalactivation of the treadmill by a child.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, an objective of the present invention is to provide atreadmill with a safety monitoring function capable of preventingaccidental activation by a child and applicable to runners of differentbody shapes.

Another objective of the present invention is to provide a safetymonitoring method for a treadmill capable of preventing accidentalactivation by a child and applicable to runners of different bodyshapes.

To achieve the objectives, the present invention provides a treadmillwith a safety monitoring function, allowing a runner to stand and runthereon. The treadmill with a safety monitoring function comprises arunning unit, a driving unit, a detection unit, and a control unit.

The running unit comprises a base, two side rails arranged spaced apartfrom each other and extending rearward from the base, a driving rollerand a driven roller pivotally installed between the side rails, arunning belt arranged between the side rails and mounted on the drivingroller and the driven roller and provided for the runner to stand andrun thereon, and a front base arranged between the side rails andlocated on top of a front end of the running belt. A front-reardirection is defined along an extension direction of each one of theside rails.

The driving unit is arranged on the base and is configured to drive thedriving roller to rotate in order to drive the running belt to rotatearound the driving roller and the driven roller, thereby allowing therunner to run forward along the front-rear direction on the runningbelt.

The detection unit is arranged at the front base and comprises a sensor.The sensor is functional to detect rearward in order to detect whetherthe runner exists at a predefined height above the running belt, and togenerate a corresponding detection information. The detection unit isconfigured to move along an up-down direction perpendicular to thefront-rear direction relative to the front base in order to change thepredefined height.

The control unit is electrically connected to the driving unit and thedetection unit for transmitting signals. The control unit is configuredto control the driving roller to be driven by the driving unit in orderto drive the predefined height according to the detection informationwhen the runner exists at the predefined height on top of the runningbelt.

Accordingly, the present invention provides a safety monitoring methodfor a treadmill, applicable to a treadmill and a runner standing on thetreadmill. The treadmill includes a running belt, and the safetymonitoring method for a treadmill comprises a preparation step, adetection step and an activation analysis step.

The preparation step is to adjust a height of a sensor.

The detection step is to use the sensor to detect whether the runnerexits at a predefined height on top of the running belt, and to generatea corresponding detection information.

The activation analysis step is to generate a first monitoring outputwhen the runner exits at the predefined height on top of the runningbelt based on the detection information.

The technical effects of the present invention are as follows. By usingthe sensor to detect whether the runner exits at the predefined heighton top of the running belt, the height of the runner may be analyzed inorder to for determining whether the driving roller can be driven by thedriving unit, in order to prevent the hazard due to accidentalactivation by a child of insufficient height. In addition, since thedetection unit can be moved along the up-down direction, theinstallation height of the sensor can be adjusted in order to change thepredefined height and to facilitate the use by runners of different bodyshapes.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

Other features and technical effects of the present invention will beillustrated clearly in the accompanied drawings and the embodiments asfollows:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the treadmill with asafety monitoring function of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1 ;

FIG. 3 is a right side view of the embodiment of the present inventionand a runner;

FIG. 4 is a system block diagram of the embodiment of the presentinvention;

FIG. 5 is a flow chart illustrating a preparation step, a detection stepand an activation analysis step of a safety monitoring method for atreadmill according to the embodiment of the present invention; and

FIG. 6 is another flow chart illustrating a falling analysis step of thesafety monitoring method for the treadmill.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Please refer to FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , showing a treadmill with a safetymonitoring function according to an embodiment of the present invention,allowing a runner 9 to stand and run thereon. The treadmill with asafety monitoring function comprises a running unit 1, a driving unit 2,a detection unit 3, an input unit 4 and a control unit 5. The input unit4 can be operated to input a command. The command is related to anactivation information.

The running unit 1 comprises a base 11, two side rails 12 arrangedspaced apart from each other and extending rearward from the base 11, adriving roller 13 and a driven roller 14 pivotally installed between theside rails 12, and a running belt 15 pivotally installed between theside rails 12 and mounted on the driving roller 13 and the driven roller14 and provided for the runner 9 to stand thereon, two handrails 16extended upward from the side rails 12, and a front base 17 connectedbetween the handrails 16 and arranged between the side rails 12 andlocated on top of a front end of the running belt 15. A front-reardirection X is defined along an extension direction of each one of theside rails 12.

In this embodiment, the driving roller 13 is located at the front side,and the driven roller 14 is located at the rear side; however, thepresent invention is not limited to such configuration only.

The front base 17 includes a crossbar portion 171 connected between thehandrails 16, an extension portion 172 extending along an up-downdirection Y perpendicular to the front-rear direction X from thecrossbar portion 171, and a plurality of slots 173 formed on theextension portion 172 and arranged spaced apart from each other alongthe up-down direction Y.

The driving unit 2 is arranged on the base 11 and is configured to drivethe driving roller 13 to rotate in order to drive the running belt 15 torotate around the driving roller 13 and the driven roller 14, therebyallowing the runner 9 to run forward along the front-rear direction X onthe running belt 15.

The detection unit 3 is arranged on the front base 17 and comprises asensor 31, a moving seat 32 movably arranged on the extension portion172 and provided for the sensor 31 to be installed thereon, a throughhole 33 penetrating through the moving seat 32 and an insertion pin 34penetrating through the through hole 33 and selectively inserted intoone of the plurality of slots 173. The sensor is functional to detectrearward in order to detect whether the runner 9 exits at a predefinedheight on top of the running belt 15 and corresponding to a center linelocation of the side rails 12, and to generate a corresponding detectioninformation. The detection unit 3 is configured to move along theup-down direction Y relative to the front base 17 in order to change thepredefined height. In this embodiment, the sensor 31 is a proximitysensor and is able to generate the detection information when the runner9 is detected at the predefined height on top of the running belt 15. Inaddition, when the detection unit 3 moves along the up-down direction Yrelative to the front base 17, it is able to allow the predefined heightto be adjusted, between 100 cm and 140 cm in the present embodimentalthough neither the height nor the range are limited to this exemplaryrange.

The control unit 5 is electrically connected to the driving unit 2, theinput unit 4 and the detection unit 3 for transmitting signals.

When the runner 9 exits at the predefined height on top of the runningbelt 15, the control unit 5 is able to control the driving roller 13 tobe driven by the driving unit 2 based on the detection information. Inaddition, when no runner 9 is detected at the predefined height on topof the running belt 15, the control unit 5 is able to control thedriving roller 13 to prevent it from being driven by the driving unit 2.

When the driving roller 13 rotates and drives the running belt 15 torotate, the sensor 31 is able to continuously generate the detectioninformation, and the control unit 5 is able to control the driving unit2 and also control a rotational speed of the driving roller 13 when therunner 9 is determined to not exist at the predefined height above therunning belt 15 based on the detection information.

Please refer to FIG. 1 , FIG. 5 and FIG. 6 , during the actualoperation, the treadmill with a safety monitoring function can cooperatewith a safety monitoring method for a treadmill to perform monitoring.The safety monitoring method for a treadmill comprises a preparationstep S1, a detection step S2, an activation analysis step S3 and afalling analysis step S4.

The preparation step S1 is to adjust a height of the sensor 31.

The detection step S2 is to use the sensor 31 to detect whether therunner 9 exits at a predefined height above the running belt 15, and togenerate a corresponding detection information.

The activation analysis step S3 is to generate a first monitoring outputwhen the runner 9 exits at the predefined height above the running belt15 based on the detection information.

The falling analysis step S4 is to continuously generate the detectioninformation and to generate a second monitoring output when the runner 9does not exist at the predefined height above the running belt 15 basedon the detection information.

As shown in FIG. 1 to FIG. 4 , during the use of the treadmill with asafety monitoring function by a user, the preparation step S1 can beexecuted first, in order to adjust the predefined height to a heightsuitable to the body shape of the runner 9. Next, when the runner 9inputs the command via the input unit 4 such that the running belt 15 isexpected to be activated for rotation, the control unit 5 is able toexecute the detection step S2 and the activation analysis step S3.

When the detection information is generated in the detection step S2, itmeans that the runner 9 is detected at the predefined height above therunning belt 15 (in other words, the height of the runner 9 is greaterthan the predefined height), and the activation analysis step S3 is ableto generate the first monitoring output. Accordingly, the control unit 5is able to control the driving roller 13 to be driven by the drivingunit 2 (such as: allowing the driving unit 2 to be electricallyconducted), thereby allowing the running belt 15 to rotate.

Furthermore, when no detection information is generated in the detectionstep S2, it means that no runner 9 is detected at the predefined heightabove the running belt 15 (in other words, the height of the runner 9 isnot greater than the predefined height), and no first monitoring outputis generated in the activation analysis step S3. Accordingly, thecontrol unit 5 is able to control the driving roller 13 to prevent itfrom being driven by the driving unit 2 (such as: preventing electricalconduction of the driving unit 2), such that even though the runner 9has inputted the command via the input unit 4, the running belt 15 stillcannot be driven to rotate. As a result, the control unit 5 is able toprevent accidental activation of the treadmill with a safety monitoringfunction by a child of insufficient height.

In addition, during the rotation of the running belt 15, the controlunit 5 is able to execute the falling analysis step S4.

When the falling analysis step S4 generates the second monitoring output(indicating that no runner 9 is detected at the predefined height), itmeans that the runner 9 might have fallen down. Accordingly, the controlunit 5 is able to control the driving unit 2 to control the rotationalspeed of the driving roller 13, in order to reduce the rotational speedof the driving roller 13 and to stop it gradually, or allow the drivingroller 13 to stop immediately, thereby preventing the runner 9 frombeing caught in the gap between the running belt 15 and one of the siderails 12 due to continuous movement of the running belt 15.

In view of the above, for the treadmill with a safety monitoringfunction and the safety monitoring method for a treadmill of the presentinvention, by using the sensor 31 to detect whether the runner 9 existsat the predefined height on top of the running belt 15, the height ofthe runner 9 can be analyzed and used as a determination standard fordetermining whether the driving roller 13 can be driven by the drivingunit 2, in order to prevent the hazard due to accidental activation by achild of insufficient height. In addition, since the detection unit 3can be moved along the up-down direction, the installation height of thesensor 31 can be adjusted in order to change the predefined height andto facilitate the use by runners 9 of different body shapes. As aresult, the objectives of the present invention are achieved.

It shall be understood that the above description is provided toillustrate the possible embodiments of the present invention only, andit shall not be treated as limitation to the implementation scope of thepresent invention. All mere and equivalent changes and modificationsmade based on the scope of the claims and the content of thespecification of the present invention shall be considered to be withinthe scope of the claims of the present invention.

What is claimed is:
 1. A treadmill with a safety monitoring function,capable of allowing a runner to stand and run thereon, the treadmillwith a safety monitoring function comprising: a running unit comprisinga base, two side rails arranged spaced apart from each other andextending rearward from the base, a driving roller and a driven rollerpivotally installed between the side rails, a running belt arrangedbetween the side rails and mounted on the driving roller and the drivenroller and provided for the runner to stand thereon, and a front basearranged between the side rails and located on top of a front end of therunning belt, a front-rear direction defined along an extensiondirection of each one of the side rails; a driving unit arranged on thebase and configured to drive the driving roller to rotate in order todrive the running belt to rotate around the driving roller and thedriven roller, thereby allowing the runner to run forward along thefront-rear direction on the running belt; a detection unit arranged onthe front base and comprising a sensor, the sensor configured to detectrearward in order to an detect whether the runner exists at a predefinedheight above the running belt, and to generate a corresponding detectioninformation, the detection unit configured to move along an up-downdirection perpendicular to the front-rear direction relative to thefront base in order to change the predefined height; and a control unitelectrically connected to the driving unit and the detection unit fortransmitting signals, the control unit configured to control the drivingroller to be driven by the driving unit in order to drive the predefinedheight according to the detection information when the runner exists atthe predefined height above the running belt.
 2. The treadmill with asafety monitoring function according to claim 1, wherein the runningunit further comprises two handrails extending upward from the siderails respectively, and a crossbar portion connected between thehandrails, an extension portion extending along the up-down directionfrom the crossbar portion, and a plurality of slots formed on theextension portion and spaced apart from each other along the up-downdirection; the detection unit further comprises a moving seat movablyarranged on the extension portion and provided for the sensor to beinstalled thereon, a through hole penetrating through the moving seat,and an insertion pin penetrating through the through hole andselectively inserted into one of the plurality of slots.
 3. Thetreadmill with a safety monitoring function according to claim 1,wherein when the driving roller rotates and drives the running belt torotate, the sensor continuously generates the detection information, andthe control unit controls the driving unit and controls a rotationalspeed of the driving roller when the runner is determined to not exit atthe predefined height above the running belt based on the detectioninformation.
 4. The treadmill with a safety monitoring functionaccording to claim 1, wherein the sensor of the detection unit is aproximity sensor.
 5. The treadmill with a safety monitoring functionaccording to claim 1, wherein the sensor of the detection unit isfunctional to detect whether the runner exists at the predefined heightabove the running belt and at a corresponding center line location ofthe side rails.
 6. A safety monitoring method for a treadmill,applicable to a treadmill and a runner standing on the treadmill, andthe treadmill having a running belt, the safety monitoring method for atreadmill comprising: a preparation step for adjusting a height of asensor; a detection step for using the sensor to detect whether therunner exists at a predefined height above the running belt, andgenerating a corresponding detection information; and an activationanalysis step for generating a first monitoring output when the runnerexists at the predefined height above the running belt based on thedetection information.
 7. The safety monitoring function for a treadmillaccording to claim 6, further comprising a falling analysis step, thefalling analysis step configured to continuously generate the detectioninformation, and to generate a second monitoring output based on thedetection information when the runner does not exit at the predefinedheight above the running belt.
 8. The treadmill with a safety monitoringfunction according to claim 6, wherein in the preparation step, thesensor of the detection unit is a proximity sensor.